It has been a busy period of late for Green Jade Games, after a trio of announcements saw the firm significantly extend its European reach.
Regulatory approval across both the United Kingdom and Malta sandwiched an alliance with CompetitionLabs, which placed an enhancement of player engagement at its core.
Benedict McDonagh, managing director of Green Jade Games, has been speaking to CasinoBeats to address recent manoeuvres, the organisations management buyout and participating at the CasinoBeats Summit 2019.
CasinoBeats: Gaining a UK licence is a significant step for any company in the igaming sphere and comes at a key time for Green Jade – can you provide a wider update on the project in terms of the roadmap ahead?
Benedict McDonagh: It certainly is a significant step as the UK is a key market for us. The maturity of this gambling market and the framework that governs operations, including the focus on responsible gambling measures, means being compliant here stands us in good stead for many other regulated markets. We have five games scheduled for launch in the UK in September, and a further four on the roadmap to close out the year.
“It’s important to launch in regulated markets, of which there are an increasing number”
CB: You also hold an MGA licence – is your focus very much on entering regulated markets? Can we expect you to obtain additional licences moving forwards?
BM: As a new investor backed business, it’s important to launch in regulated markets, of which there are an increasing number, as regulated markets give you greater predictability on sustainable income. Our MGA license gives us access to a vast number of markets but most importantly, to the biggest casino operators available.
We are certifying our games for any market our customers desire and tackling licensing opportunities as they arise, but as of now, we’re not in the application process for any new licenses, which is a relief.
CB: What can you tell us about the structure of Green Jade, in terms of governance relating to Mr Green and William Hill?
BM: Green Jade Games very recently completed a management buyout from William Hill after securing investor funding, which is very exciting. The company was incubated within Mr Green very successfully and we retain a great relationship with both William Hill and Mr Green, with William Hill retaining a stake in Green Jade Games. They’re just as positive about our future as we are.
“We are really looking forward to the CasinoBeats Summit”
CB: What can players in the UK, and elsewhere, expect to see from Green Jade?
BM: It’s too cliché to say that they can expect the unexpected but really, that’s what we do. We build games that some operators haven’t necessarily anticipated are what they need to offer. We’re passionate about providing the type of games that a greater number of players wish to play than found in the current mix.
For example, we’ve built arcade skill games, games that reward the player based on a mixture of their abilities, their decisions and the RNG. This means customers can gamble and get better at it at the same time as playing the game the way they want to play.
CB: Jesper Karrbrink is speaking at the CasinoBeats Summit in London in September, at a key point in the Green Jade story. What will Jesper be talking about there and what do you hope to gain from the event?
BM: We are really looking forward to the CasinoBeats Summit. We believe this will be one of the big five casino events in the coming years and Jesper will largely be discussing innovation, which is key to the Green Jade games.
We don’t see the use of adding one more slot to the +100 new that is released each month, instead we want to release games that are the first of its kind. Games where we give more control to the player, games that sometimes are slower but still highly entertaining, games that players want to play again and again because they are getting value for their deposits.
The conference takes place at Olympia London on September 17-20, alongside Betting on Sports – learn more and buy tickets for the CasinoBeats Summit here.
To find out more about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities at the Summit, please contact [email protected].
